Alinea: Steam revenue reaches $11.1bn, marking highest half-year on record
Valve’s Steam platform reached a new revenue milestone in the first half of 2026, generating an estimated $11.1 billion according to data firm Alinea Analytics. This represents a 14.5% year-over-year increase and marks the highest half-year revenue in the platform’s history.
The growth was fueled by several factors, including increased player activity in Asia—particularly China—alongside higher pricing for new game releases and the continued popularity of viral cooperative games. However, the primary driver of revenue growth was back-catalogue sales, as publishers deployed strategic discounting, bundling, and limited-time promotional offers to boost sales of older titles alongside new releases.
A notable example of this monetization strategy’s success is Resident Evil Requiem, which generated $194.5 million in revenue, positioning it among Steam’s top-earning titles. Capcom supported the release with targeted promotional campaigns to maximize its commercial performance on the platform.